Chrysler Group LLC has rebounded the strongest since the Great Recession, but the lackluster sales of the Dodge Dart could be a concern, at least locally.

Chrysler's overall sales in the U.S. increased 9 percent in 2014 in what was a strong year for the auto industry. That outpaced the gains of General Motors, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai/Kia. Only Ford and Nissan gained at a greater rate.

If you look at sales growth since 2010 though, when Fiat took over Chrysler, and no company has grown sales as well in the U.S.

In 2010, the three products built in Belvidere were struggling in the market place. The Dodge Caliber was the 77th ranked seller in the U.S. The Jeep Patriot was 85th and the Jeep Compass had tumbled all the way to 142nd out of nearly 300 vehicles.

In 2013, the Caliber is off lots and replaced by the Dart, which came in 60th in yearly U.S. sales. The Patriot was up to 65th, its highest ranking since it hit lots in 2007. And the Compass ranked 84th.

Although the Dart moved up to 60th best selling vehicle in the U.S. it ranked just ninth among compact sedans. The compact sedan market is the second largest in the U.S. auto market, behind trucks.

Chrysler plans to eventually move production of the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot out of Belvidere to Toledo and began building a mid-size version of the Dart.

So the Dart's continued struggles -- relative to the rest of the compact sedan market -- is a concern.